Trust
by Sovetskii
Summary: Norimoto Toshiko, a member of the Sunagakure Council, nominates Gaara for Kazekage, but he's not ready for the position. Will she be able to convince the Sand Siblings to trust her enough to help with Gaara's training? Gaara x OC
1. Ch1: The Council

Hello! This is my first fanfiction being posted to this site, I really hope you enjoy it. ;o

Of course, I do no not own _Naruto_, Kishimoto does, except for my characters, Toshiko, Nanaki, Masaru, Houfu and Kamiku.

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><p>"Norimoto…"<p>

Pause..

"Norimoto."

Another pause.

_SLAM! _"Norimoto!"

I shot up in my seat, large round glasses clattering to the table. "Don't eat that frog!"

I heard chuckles from around the room; all my vision showed me was a big, fat blur of tans and browns. From what I could tell the room was large and round, with a massive circular table in the middle of it. I felt my face heat up as I realized where I was.

Did I really fall asleep during the Council meeting? I fumbled for my glasses and slid them over my nose. Yura, a member across from me at the table, was standing up with his hands flat on the hard surface. So that's what woke me up…

"Norimoto, I expected better of you. This had better not happen again." An older woman whose name I had not cared to remember spoke near Yura. She obviously had some major standing in the Council, as a single look had Yura back in his seat and calm. "We were discussing the possible candidates for the position of Kazekage. Your opinion is needed on the matter…"

I cleared my throat, trying to will the blood away from my cheeks, and pushed my glasses farther up the bridge of my nose. "Well… From the files I have read on our ninja, I have deduced that none are currently up to par for the position of Kazekage."

Glancing around the room, I noticed the others looked doubtful. Why they were doubtful, I had no idea. They all knew I had read through every single file on the Sunagakure ninja, from the recently graduated Genin to the sealed files of the ANBU, even the files on the fools around me.

"You said none were _currently_ up to par… Who would you recommend in the future?" Another voice spoke to the left of me. I looked down, fumbling with the fabric of my ninja outfit.

A few seconds passed.

"Well?" They were all looking at me expectantly now.

"… Sbu n Ra…" I mumbled, my gaze still pointed downward. "What?" Yura was tapping his fingers on the table, annoyed with the situation in the room.

With a small intake of breath, I looked up, looking at them all before speaking once again.

"Sabaku no Gaara."

…

…

…

"Pfffft-ahahahaaha!" The room burst into laughter. One or two of the younger ones even fell off their chairs. "Norimoto Toshiko! T-There's no possible way that boy would be able to become the Kazekage!" The older woman from before had tears in her eyes from laughing. Wiping the liquid from her eyes, she tapped a gavel on a small platform on the table. "The Council meeting is adjourned. You may go home."

I growled and stomped my feet out of the room, slamming the door behind me. They could at least take my opinion on the matter with a little more respect. In fact, my choice of Kazekage candidate was the only logical choice. Sabaku no Gaara might've had blood smeared on his file, but after Sunagakure's illogical invasion on Konohagakure, his misbehavior had all but stopped.

In fact, there were notes that he had actually tried helping around the village. Though the villagers were most likely scared out of their wits, it's the thought that counts, right?

My mind was elsewhere while I was walking around the village. Specifically, I was thinking about how nice it would be to punch Yura in the gut a few times. I was jolted from my thoughts when I bumped into something, or someone.

It turned out to be the latter. "Oh, Toshi-chan! We were just looking for you." Actually, it was one of my former teammates from my Genin years. Kaneyama Nanaki was the young Chunin weapons specialist. Slightly obsessive with pointy objects, her focus was on beating her opponents with brawn instead of brain. She has told me that many children from the Academy used to call her an "air-head." Until, of course, she pummeled them into the ground.

Nana-chan, as I call her, was an average looking young woman of 15, a year older older than I. She had long black hair to the middle of her back tied at the nape of her neck and shoulder length bangs. Her green eyes reminded me of emeralds. Nanaki's current ninja outfit consisted of a red bandana hitai-ate and red booty shorts. A tan, large belly shirt hung off one of her shoulders and a matching two pieced skirt hung to her mid-thighs. She had bandages down just past her elbows, as well as from her ankles to just under her knees and covering her stomach. She had left her two sais and three scrolls that often hung off her belt at home.

Next to her was our much taller teammate called Akawa Masaru. The shy and reserved member of our former team, he often stayed with Nanaki or I while out in public. He was average in both intelligence and power, evening out our team perfectly, though I'm sure he has improved in both since we last went on a mission together.

The girls following Masa-kun around and sending him glances full of admiration proved he was considered extremely handsome. Though it doesn't surprise me he has those fan-girls when he walks around with his flak-jacket unzipped and no shirt underneath. He had a white sash around his hips and typical blue ninja pants. His spiky carrot colored hair and deep grey eyes made him look much more flamboyant than he actually was. Four shuriken holsters adorned his body, one on each arm and each thigh. The males of his clan that have proven themselves all have a black goatee-like square tattoo on their chins, one of which he had.

I didn't consider myself as interesting as the two before me. I was Norimoto Toshiko, the smart but incredibly weak member of the team. I had shoulder-length hair with some of it up in a high ponytail, the color of which I called "gamboge," or a dirty blond. I hid my blue eyes with thick round glasses; without the clunky things I wouldn't be able to see a thing.

I wore a dark aquamarine short-sleeve wrap dress that fell to my mid thighs with black shorts underneath. A red sash held the dress closed. Under the sash was a brown leather belt with four water canteens, two on each side, connected to it. I had a red hitai-ate around my neck and brown fingerless gloves. Underneath all of it was a fishnet body suit ending at just below my elbows as well as my knees. In a fit of rebelliousness a few years ago, I gave myself two piercings in my bottom lip against my father's wishes. I have apologized for the action, but kept the piercings, as I grew fond of them.

"So~? How'd the Council meeting go?" Nanaki waggled her eyebrows at me, curiousness in her eyes. "There's a rumor going around that they were supposed to nominate for the Kazekage position!"

I sighed. "Sorry, Nana-chan. I was asleep through most of it. I didn't hear who was nominated." "WHAT?" Suddenly, I was being shaken by the shoulders by none other than Nanaki. "Toshi-chan, how could you do this to me?"

"Nanaki, you should stop shaking Toshiko…" Masaru placed his large hand on Nanaki's shoulder for her to stop. I caught my breath and held my head to wait for my vision to stop vibrating. "Did you nominate someone, Toshiko?" At least Masaru could be polite about asking for information.

Pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose, I spoke. "I nominated Gaara." Surprisingly, Nanaki didn't say anything for a few seconds. Masaru raised an eyebrow, surprised, but he seemed to understand why I nominated the Jinchuriki. Nanaki busted up laughing, just as the other Council members had done not long ago.

I glared. "Nanaki, someday you will understand the power that Gaara has. At the moment, however, I do not have the time to explain it to you. Father is expecting me at home." I nodded to the two as a goodbye, Nanaki still trying to hold in her bouts of laughter, and went on my way.

If an average civilian looked at the home I lived in, they would never be able to guess that a royal family lived within its walls. My father was the brother of the current Daimyo. Nowhere near as fat as his kin, Norimoto Houfu was thin and handsome, with crow's feet at his eyes and creases at the corners of his mouth from smiling so much. He had shaggy black hair and a short beard. I inherited his blue eyes and smile.

My mother, Norimoto Kamiku, had brilliant golden hair, much more beautiful than mine, and lavender eyes. She was of average build, perhaps a bit chubby from living a life of relaxation, but a beauty none-the-less. Most of my appearance had been given to me by her, though at a much more dulled and average shade.

Opening the front door, I called to my family. "Mother! Father! I'm home!" I kicked off my shoes and skipped towards the kitchen, the smell of dinner tickling my nose. "Welcome home, Toshiko." Mother smiled at me as she made rice and some sort of other delicious smelling part of the meal. "Your father is in the study. I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit from his daughter. I'll yell when dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Mother." I pecked her quickly on the cheek and stumbled up the stairs to my father's study. I knocked. A small "Come in." allowed my entrance. My father's study was full of many books and scrolls of every kind. An entire wall was covered from floor to ceiling with documents. He was currently reading a scroll on his desk, a small lamp illuminating the parchment.

"I'm home, Father." He turned to me with a smile. "Ah, Toshiko. My incredibly successful daughter whom I am so proud of." His smile widened. "How did the Council meeting go today?"

My face fell. I really didn't want to get laughed at again. "I really don't want to talk about it, Father…" I shuffled my feet.

He chuckled softly. "You know how fast word travels to this household, Toshiko. But, I understand. No matter what, I trust my daughter's judgment." He stood and lightly pinched my cheek. I was used to the act of love, so I didn't complain. "Good luck with the Jinchuriki. I'll see you at dinner. Now go figure out what you're going to do with that boy."

I smiled big. "Thank you, Father." I kissed him on the cheek and left him to his studies. Figuring out what to do with the Jinchuriki boy was easy enough. Getting him to agree was a whole other challenge.

It could wait until morning.

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><p>Well, there's the first chapter! I'd really appreciate a few reviews. c: Thanks for reading!<p> 


	2. Ch2: The Siblings

Oh my goodness! I got my first review EVER. Thank you so much **Juliedoo**, this chapter is for you. (I totally didn't mean to rhyme, I'm just that cool.) ;3 Guys! Last time I forgot about a picture I drew of Toshiko and her former team. c: There ya go.

roshi-kitten(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Team-Toshiko-292893151

Of course, replace the (dot)s with actual periods. Hope you like their designs.

I don't own _Naruto_, otherwise this story would be completely canon. ;D My characters are mine though, you know who those are.

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><p>Uhhhhg. Where in the world was this boy? Sabaku no Gaara wasn't assigned a mission recently; I checked the logs just this morning. The places he was often seen, rooftops, the cacti garden, and training grounds, were completely vacant of the red-headed Jinchuriki.<p>

I took a sip from one of the water canteens on my belt while I sat on a bench in the center of the village. The obvious places held no trace of Gaara. Was he spending time with his siblings? I hadn't noticed Temari or Kankuro during my search.

Had they gone on a mission that wasn't posted yet? No, that wasn't possible. Those that assigned missions would be given a stern talking to if their records were not kept up to date.

I sighed. It was too hot today. How all these people could do their shopping, without a care in the world, in this heat, amazed me.

The hustle and bustle of the center of town consisted of women shopping, men being dragged around with masses of shopping bags, and children playing on the playground nearby. The most likely place to find Gaara's siblings would be here.

I doubted the Fourth Kazekage's children remembered me. Of course, I had seen them before, mostly in Council meetings concerning their Jinchuriki sibling. My mother and the Fourth's wife, Karura I was told, often went shopping together in this very same place. Temari, Kankuro and I were often brought with them, though I don't remember any of it. I was only a month old at the time.

Suddenly, I caught a quick glimpse of Temari window shopping. Kankuro, surprisingly with his hat and kabuki make-up nowhere to be seen, followed behind with a few shopping bags. Pushing through the crowd, I called for the pair. "T-Temari-san! Kankuro-san!"

They turned towards my direction at the same time. I pushed past the last few people and stood before them, flattening my dress and clearing my throat. "I don't know if you remember me or not, but-"

"Norimoto Toshiko. Niece of the Daimyo. Holds a position on the Council. We know you." Temari looked towards me, amusement in her eyes.

"O-Oh… Well, then. I'll just get straight to the point." I fumbled with the fabric on my dress. "I need to see your brother, Gaara."

The two seemed slightly shocked. "Why do you need to see Gaara?" The puppet master glared down at me. Kankuro looked a lot less intimidating with shopping bags in place of his puppets, but intimidating none-the-less.

I gulped. "I… I nominated him…" I was quiet, but loud enough for them to hear me. They were silent. They should know what I was talking about; they knew everything that the Council would be discussing during their meetings.

"You what?"

"W-Well, I-"

"That's great!" Temari's face lit up, Kankuro still looked shocked. I felt my eyebrows rise. Why were they so happy?

"Toshiko, I can't believe you nominated Ga-!"

"Shh!" I placed my hand over Temari's mouth. "Civilians do not need to know. And Gaara isn't ready. He needs training."

Kankuro still hadn't said anything about my announcement. "Who do you expect to train him, then? Temari and I are going on a long mission soon." He looked expectantly at me.

"… I will." More shocked expressions. I glared. "Do you two even know what I can do?" They quickly cast glances at each other. "I am one of the few ninja in Sunagakure that can drown you two. Why do you think I carry these canteens with me?"

"You're a Water Nature?" Temari asked.

"Yes. Gaara's greatest weakness right now is water and the only way he's going to be able to overcome that is by training with me." My logic was correct, but I had no idea if they would accept it or not.

"How do we know you can be trusted around Gaara now that we know your nature?" Kankuro crossed his arms as best he could with the bags in his hands.

Temari thought for just a second, then said, "We could skip-"

"Baki," I interrupted Temari to make my point. "The country is in a period of unrest, since we have no definite Kazekage, Suna-nin need to be kept busy to keep the country's economy running. Baki is already assigned as Gaara's caretaker and you trust him with your sibling already…"

"He will be there during every session." Finishing my spiel, I looked down, waiting for their response.

They contemplated for a moment before Temari motioned at Kankuro saying, "We will decide together with Gaara and Baki and let you know tomorrow morning. Let's go, Kankuro. I think I'm done shopping for the day." Temari, then Kankuro, nodded at me.

I bowed as they left. I was nervous about their decision, but of course, my plan was flawless. With Baki during the training sessions, there would be no chance that I could hurt, or even come close to killing Gaara; everyone knew that I was about Genin level in brute strength, while Baki was about the most evenly rounded ninja Sunagakure had.

The only reason I would be able to win in a fight against the Kazekage children's former sensei would be because I was able to outwit his tactics.

But that was easy enough.

Though I don't think I'd be able to kill Gaara in the first place…

Why am I thinking this?

I laughed softly to myself and peeked around the shopping center. Would a present for Gaara allow him to trust me? Perhaps that would be too weird for a first meeting…

I'd never met the Jinchuriki boy before. Seen him, yes and discussed him during meetings, but I had never introduced myself formally. Many villagers and Council members have told me that Gaara was a soulless monster. His file said otherwise, and I would find out what he was really like for myself.

If not a present for Gaara, then for my mother. The symbol for the Norimoto family was the flower of the _Opuntia basilaris_, also known as the Beavertail cactus. My mother often took me to the cacti gardens when the flowers bloomed to show me the gorgeous purple petals of the cacti.

I might as well spend the day productively. I skipped into a jewelry shop with a grin adorning my lips; I knew exactly what I was going to surprise my mother with.

After paying for the object, I opened the small hinged box to look at it in the light outside the shop. The brooch consisted of purple topaz cut into perfectly shaped petals of a Beavertail cactus bloom. They were set in a pure silver base. The entire piece of jewelry sparkled in the hot Suna sun.

Oh, I hoped mother would enjoy this. I grinned once again and closed the box containing the brooch, then placed it in the back pouch connected to my belt. I raced home, eager to present the gift to Mother.

Entering my home, I noticed it was eerily quiet. Thankfully, there was a note on the kitchen counter.

_Toshiko,_

_Your Uncle called on us for a very important meeting. We had no time to inform you and had to leave at a moment's notice. Your mother left tonight's dinner in the oven. We will be back in about a month; you know how your Uncle is with "secrecy." Take care of yourself. Be careful with the boy's training._

_Love you._

I had seen my father's handwriting a million times and was confident that this was his. I could imagine him rolling his eyes when he wrote about his brother. A heart and smiley face was scribbled next to the last line, obviously drawn by my mother.

I smiled and placed the box containing my present on top of the note for them to see when they returned.

The rest of the day was spent catching up on my books and wondering about how the Kazekage's children and their former sensei were going about discussing the training I had proposed.

I smiled at the thought.

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><p>Chapter two! I promise Gaara is in the next chapter, so don't hate me just yet. I'd love a couple reviews. ;D<p> 


	3. Ch3: The Oasis

Another day, another chapter. I got another review from **Juliedoo**; thank you so much. c: I promise this "chapter everyday" thing isn't going to continue very long. I'm on vacation for Spring Break and have absolutely nothing to do but write. Starting next week I have class and will have very few opportunities to write. Just brace yourselves for it, fans. Well... The very few fans I have.

Once again, I don't own _Naruto_. Enjoy the chapter! Gaara's in it! O:

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><p>The next day I found myself pacing back and forth in front of the front door, nervous. Logically, news of if I was going to train Gaara would come from a messenger-nin or bird. However, I didn't know when the message would come.<p>

I paced some more, trying to find some activity for my hands to keep occupied.

Pace…

Pace…

Pace…

"Uhg!" I stopped and pulled my glasses off my face, cleaning them on my dress. "Staying here isn't going to do anything except drive me stir crazy..."

"I guess I'll go get lunc-" I opened the front door and froze in shock. Baki stood there with his fist up, ready to knock. "Nevermind… Come in, Baki." I stood to the side, holding the door open.

My eyes widened as Gaara walked in behind Baki. I didn't even notice the red-head in my shock. "Gaara-san." He just glanced in my direction. I followed my guests into the living room.

Gaara sat by the wall, gaze towards the window, as Baki sat on the couch. I wasn't far behind, sitting across from Baki. "I assume you have come to my home to respond to my offer?" I folded my hands in my lap, twiddling my thumbs.

Baki nodded, "Gaara, Temari, Kankuro and I have considered your offer. Kankuro isn't too fond of it, but Gaara was… adamant… about accepting." He cast a quick glance in the Jinchuriki's direction, as did I.

Gaara _wanted_ my help? Hm…

"So, yes, your offer has been accepted. Temari and Kankuro leave for their mission later today and they wished to view your first training session," Baki said, then leaned back on the couch, relaxing just a bit.

They want to see us train _right now_? I blinked, "O-Of course. I decided on training by an oasis just west of the village. It'll ensure no civilians will be in any… danger."

"Are you insinuating that your training could lead to villagers being injured?" Baki leaned forward in his seat, his visible eye narrowing.

I sighed, "Baki. Kage are the five strongest ninjas in the Five Great Shinobi Countries. Not just strong physically, but emotionally as well. If you haven't noticed, Gaara-san is - and I mean no offence by this Gaara-san, I am just stating fact - Gaara-san is a Jinchuriki with one of the most unstable Bijuu in the world."

Gaara hadn't moved since the conversation started. Baki was still looking at me with disapproval. I ran a hand through my hair. "What I'm saying is that Gaara-san needs to go through emotional training as well as physical training to be able to control Shukaku and protect the village to be able to gain the trust of everyone."

Gaara's former sensei looked down at the floor as he considered what I had said. "I suppose you are correct. I will contact Temari and Kankuro about the location and will meet you and Gaara at the oasis."

He stood, and with a nod, left. I sighed and relaxed against the couch for a moment. They had accepted. With a small laugh, I threw my hands up in the air, "Yes!"

I felt eyes on me. Gaara hadn't left. For the second time in two days, I felt blood rush to my cheeks. Quickly I found my composure and pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose. "I-I suppose we should get to the oasis, Gaara-san." He nodded softly towards me and swiftly left my house.

I looked around to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything and left right behind him.

We walked through the village at an average pace. Gaara stared right ahead, gaze never wavering. My eyes wandered everywhere except to the boy standing next to me.

This walk was becoming awkward…

Was Gaara used to these awkward silences? He _was_ usually silent…

I believe I'm over-thinking this now.

…

Definitely over-thinking the situation.

"Why did you accept my offer, Gaara-san?" I took a calculated risk by glancing at the Jinchuriki. Goodness, that gourd was huge. He must have been lightening the weight of the sand with chakra to be able to carry it with such ease.

He seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking, "… Uzumaki Naruto…" I thought for just a brief moment. Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, was mentioned in Gaara's file as being the victor between their fight in Konoha during Sunagakure's invasion. Considering Gaara had never lost a battle before that moment, Uzumaki must have knocked some incredible sense into the Ichibi container.

"I've heard of him. Another Jinchuriki like yourself, I believe," I took a quick swig of water from a canteen.

Another pause from Gaara. He considered all his options before considering going any further, "He wishes to become Hokage to… prove himself to his village… I would like to prove myself to my village as well… As the Kazekage."

I smiled softly to myself. That fight did change him. "Hopefully I can help you with that, Gaara-san. "

The rest of the walk was held in silence, not as awkwardly as before thankfully. Soon we were at our destination. The small oasis was a beautiful sight in the Sunagakure desert. A few palm trees and shrubs lined the pool of clear water. I noticed a lizard basking in the sun on a rock on the edge of the water.

Not a moment later Baki, Temari and Kankuro were there. "I know you two don't have much time, so I'd like to start Gaara's training now. If you'd be so kind to stand over there, Gaara and I will be over here, ready whenever you are." I ushered them towards the opposite side of the oasis, far enough to be out of the way, but close enough to intervene quickly if need be.

As they walked away, I explained what I was going to do, "As your siblings hopefully told you, I am one of the few Water Natures in Suna. Hopefully, you also know that water in your biggest weakness. You're going to attack me and figure out what to do after that."

With a wink and a soft giggle I skipped backwards so my heels were just touching the water. Temari, Kankuro and Baki were in their places, Gaara was about ten paces ahead. I took a defensive stance, "Start when you please, Gaara-san."

We stood for a moment, silent and waiting. Suddenly sand shot out from Gaara's gourd, directly at me. I jumped back onto the water, simultaneously performing hand seals and pushing chakra to my feet to stay afloat on the water's surface.

I waited for the sand to get just a bit closer before jumping up high in the air and flipping slowly so my feet were above my head. "Suiton: Mizuame Nabara!" Starchy, sticky liquid shot from my lips, covering the sand that was following me, which I noticed was a lot closer than I had anticipated. Continuing my attack, I directed the liquid towards Gaara.

Exactly as I expected, the rest of Gaara's sand covered him in a protective cocoon, of which was also quickly covered. I finished my flip and landed gingerly on the opposite side of Gaara, exactly ten paces back.

I tucked some hair that fell out of place behind my ear and flopped onto the ground cross-legged. I saw Gaara's eyes narrow and smiled to myself. The starchy attack was soaking into the chakra-infused sand, hardening. Those grains were slow and no longer something to be afraid of.

I leaned to the side to get a better look at Gaara's siblings and Baki. All of them were in shock. Suddenly, I burst into laughter, falling back onto the hot dessert sand. Their expressions were comical.

Trying to regain my composure and stifling my giggles, I sat back up again, "Oh, you're glad I'm smart, Gaara-san. I would've been dead otherwise. Your sand almost got me."

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><p>Well? Did I pull Gaara's personality off? I was worrying about it so much that I accidentally called my dog Gaara when I called him in for bed. His name isn't even close to Gaara. xD I lol'd.<p>

Anyways, I'd love some reviews. Thanks for reading!


	4. Ch4: The Laundry

Two more reviews! o: Thank you **Juliedoo** once again and **BooBoo**! c: I get so excited whenever I see I have a new review, its you guys who keep me writing.

This chapter shows you whenever I mention something, it'll probably come back later. c; Keep that in mind. So here's chapter 4!

As always, I don't own_ Naruto_.

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><p>Gaara soon realized the sand was no longer moving to his will. His absolute defense which saved him many times before imprisoned him in a cocoon of hardened sand and starch.<p>

The Jinchuriki's siblings were on the edge of jumping from their seats and beating me into the sand, I could tell. But I wasn't going to attack Gaara any further. A first lesson needs to be one where the student realizes their weaknesses.

"Gaara-san, what I want you to do is get your sand out of the jutsu I trapped you in. Do it whichever way you please," I said, giving him direction to finish the lesson as I took a drink from one of my canteens.

The lesson continued on for the next few hours. Temari and Kankuro left for their mission after I reassured them this is all I'd be doing with Gaara for the next few days. Baki would keep them updated by messenger-birds.

The process by which Gaara extracted his sand from its sticky shell was slow at first, but he was a quick learner. I didn't allow him to use the sand of the desert to help, as there would be situations where the sand he carried would be the only sand available.

First, the red-head worked on the cocoon that surrounded him, grinding out single grains of sand with nothing but his chakra. One by one, the loose grains of sand multiplied exponentially until the entire cocoon was grinded down.

He then worked on the sand that attacked me and made quick work of it. Soon, even my starchy compound was grinded down and mixed in with his sand. I clapped softly.

"Good job, Gaara-san." I noticed a single drop of sweat slid down Gaara's cheek; he must have used quite a bit of chakra for the task I set him to do.

I tossed him one of the full canteens I had, "Drink, Gaara-san."

He caught the canteen with ease, and took a small sip. I smiled, "Keep it and give it back tomorrow. We are done with your training today. Tomorrow we will do the same thing; meet me here at 10 a.m."

Motioning to Baki that training was done, I turned and walked back to the village. I peeked back over my shoulder at Gaara. I chuckled when I saw him guzzling down the contents of the canteen. I'd never tell him I saw, I don't think.

The next day, training resumed. Gaara returned the canteen first thing. I noticed it was filled once again.

"Thank you, Gaara-san," I nodded to Baki, who took the same spot as last time across the oasis, notifying him that we were going to start.

Once again, I soaked Gaara's sand with the starch, though he willingly let me this time. I simply wanted him to be able to get his sand out of the predicament faster than the last time. Of course, he had learned from last time and wiped the floor with his previous time.

Without giving him time to recover, from the chakra expenditure, I performed different hand seals than the last. "Suiton: Mizurappa." Water spurt from my lips towards Gaara, soaking his newly freed sand.

The water soaked through the sand and onto Gaara himself, soaking through his clothes and hair. Pushing my glasses up, I spoke, "You're a quick learner Gaara. This exercise is a lot harder than the last… I won't let the water evaporate."

I closed my eyes and concentrated as I placed my hands in the seal of the tiger. "Try and pull your sand away from the water."

I felt Gaara's chakra in the sand pull against mine in the water, though I did nothing to stop him. Sand naturally bonds with water, so getting the two away will be hard enough without my intervention.

His chakra pulled and pulled, but the bond would not let go. Minutes went by, perhaps hours; I never once opened my eyes. If I was distracted just a little, my jutsu would fail.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and jumped, breaking the jutsu. The water was released, and evaporated almost instantly. I looked back. Baki stood behind me, looking down to where I was and said, "The sun is going down Toshiko. It is best to stop the training for the day."

I nodded and looked around as Baki disappeared in a gust of wind. Apparently a small windstorm had crossed the sand when we were training. Piles of sand were around me, up to the bottom of my ribcage. I stood and shook the sand off.

Gaara sat on a rock by the oasis, his gourd leaning against it. I noticed dried mud caked in his clothes, hair and skin. "Gaara-san, you look a mess. I didn't know there would be a windstorm today, I'm sorry…"

I took my glasses off and cleaned them on the hem of my dress, though that didn't help much considering it was just as dirty, if not dirtier than my glasses already. "If you'd like, you may wash up at my home. It's closer than you and your sibling's home."

Through the blur, I saw what could have been a nod from the Ichibi container. Placing my glasses back on my nose, I realized I just smeared the dirt around. Pushing them up my nose, I turned around and started back towards my home. Gaara followed.

The sun had fallen below the horizon before we reached my front door. I fumbled for the keys and finally opened the door, the smell of home wafting into my senses. I smiled and stepped in, holding the door open for Gaara.

He slid his gourd off his shoulder and leaned it against the wall by the door. I motioned for him to follow, "Shower's this way." I led Gaara to the lower floor bathroom.

"Everything you need should be in there. Put your clothes by the door and I'll throw them in the wash for you," I told him. He nodded and closed the door to the bathroom with hardly a sound.

I rushed upstairs to my room to clean my glasses before I ran into something. Taking the lenses off my face, I dripped some cleaning solution on them and rubbed with a clean cloth. I sighed in relief when I saw they were free of scratches. Mother would have my head if she knew I needed a new pair.

Rushing back downstairs, I grabbed the pile of Gaara's clothes from the floor at the door, then threw them into the wash. Turning the machine on, I realized something…

What would Gaara wear in the meantime…?

I snapped my fingers. Father!

I headed up to my parents room and dug through their closet. Father _must_ have something he wouldn't mind being used. I found a pair of comfortable pants, and a white tee. Perfect!

Back down the stairs once again, I lightly knocked on the bathroom door, "Gaara-san, I found some clothes for you until yours are washed, they're on the floor by the door." I heard the shower on inside, so I figured he didn't feel like answering. Hopefully he heard me.

Jogging up the stairs one more time, I grabbed a change of clothes for myself, a simple sweater and a pair of shorts, and headed to my personal bathroom that was just off my bedroom.

Not long after I was down in the kitchen making tea, all dressed and showered. Steam poured out of the bathroom when Gaara exited, rubbing a towel on his hair. I hid a giggle when I saw the clothes on him; my 6'4" father's clothes were massive on the Jinchuriki. The shirt was at least to his knees and the pants were as baggy as could be.

"Sorry, Gaara-san. Those were all I could find. Tea?" I held out a mug for him, which he took cautiously. I assumed many beverages offered to him were poisoned in the past. I made my way to the living room, Gaara followed.

Sitting down, I looked the red-head up and down. The clothes may be baggy, but even a blind man could tell training and effort was put into his body.

"What's your favorite color, Gaara-san?" I smiled and took a sip of my tea as he sat down.

He gave me an odd look, a glare mixed with confusion. "What..?"

"You favorite color, Gaara-san. What is it? Consider this the start of your 'emotional training,'" I grinned.

He looked down at the mug I handed him not long ago. "I've… never thought about it…"

I let out a faux gasp. "No favorite color? Gaara-san, everyone has a favorite color. Mine's turquoise, if you were wondering; it reminds me of the ocean… There's no color that you prefer over any other?"

"Red, I guess…" He didn't look up. Suddenly, a beeping could be heard from the laundry.

"Your clothes… I'll be right back." I stood and left for the laundry, swiftly tossing the fabrics in the dryer, then came back a few moments later.

Gaara was still staring at the mug. "Play 20 Questions with me, Gaara-san." I sat back in my spot on the couch, looking at him.

"What?" He looked up at me confused once again.

"Think of an object - anything - and think about it. Don't tell me," I paused for a moment. "Good?"

He nodded.

"Is it an animal, food, mineral, or other?"

Pause. "Animal…"

"Dangerous animal?"

One more pause. "Could be…"

"Is it larger than that picture frame squared?" I pointed to a portrait of my family hanging on the wall. It was about a foot and a half wide as well as tall.

"No."

"Can it have different colors?"

He nodded.

"Can it fly?"

"No."

"Does it live in water?"

"No."

"Does it have four legs?"

"Yes."

"Does it taste good?" I grinned.

"… I'm not sure."

"Does it live in the desert?"

"Yes."

I smiled to myself. "That lizard on the rock by the oasis. I saw it yesterday before we started training. Right?"

His eyes narrowed just a bit before answering. "… Yes."

"No, I'm not a mind-reader. You were thinking about training since we got here. I figured your answer would have something to do with that."

If Gaara could look flabbergasted, that's what he looked like now. Another beeping sound came from the laundry. "Ah, your clothes are done. I'll get them."

Once more, I made my way to the laundry. Shaking out Gaara's clothes, I folded them neatly and placed them in a pile for him. I turned and jumped about ten feet into the air from shock.

Gaara stood behind me, quiet as could be. I placed my hand on my chest to calm my erratic heart, "You scared me, Gaara-san," I laughed softly, "No worries. Here are your clothes. You know where the bathroom is."

I left for the living room, taking both the mugs off the table, then moving to the kitchen. I noticed Gaara barely drank any of the tea I made. It was the courtesy of taking the tea, I suppose.

I heard the door from the bathroom click open; Gaara must be finished. I turned towards the general direction of the bathroom.

The Jinchuriki stood there fully clothed with my father's garments folded neatly in his hands. "… Thank… you…"

My eyes widened just the slightest bit. "No problem, Gaara-san. Any time…" I gingerly took the clothing from his hands.

"Baki is probably wondering where you are. Sorry for keeping you," I smiled. He nodded and headed for the door; I followed, the clothes tucked under my arm.

He opened the door and placed one of his hands atop his gourd still leaning against the wall. He turned his head for just a moment before disappearing in a whirlwind of sand.

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><p>Gasp! Gaara thanked Toshi! The world must be ending. KIDDING. ;D<p>

As always, I'd love some reviews, guys. The more I get, the faster chapters come out. ;D I have a few chapters pre-written for you guys, since they'll no longer be coming out right after one another.


	5. Ch5: The Water

While I was writing this, I had to put my Great Dane, Anubis, to bed (Cause it was like, 3 in the morning). I went outside and called, "Gaara!" really loud so the whole neighborhood could hear. Then I realized what I said and face-palmed. Anubis came anyways. xDD I'm thinking about my favorite little tanuki too much apparently.

Two more reviews! Thank you **Juliedoo** and **LadyAmazon**! You guys are awesome. ;D

So here's chapter 5! Tell me what you think.

As always, I don't own _Naruto_.

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><p>I woke up early, too early. With a sigh, I sat up in bed and looked out the window; the sun wasn't close to rising above the horizon. I thought about what the day's events would entail as I stretched my creaking bones and started my morning routine.<p>

Yesterday while holding the water in Gaara's sand, I had used a lot of chakra, something I had hoped to avoid since I had so little of it. I could have the Jinchuriki pull the sand from the bottom of the oasis, but that sand wasn't chakra rich like the sand he carried in his gourd.

Would I be able to pull the water from his sand before he was able to if something came up? If anything, the sun could evaporate it naturally. I would check the Council and Mission logs before heading to the oasis to find the probability of possible mishaps during training.

Finishing up my morning routine, I grabbed my keys and a few umeboshi plums for breakfast to eat on the way. I ate one of them slowly as I headed for the log building, savoring one of my favorite flavors.

I got to the log building not much longer after finishing one of the umeboshi. After receiving clearance, I scanned through the mission logs quickly, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. I decided to check what mission Temari and Kankuro were on: a reconnaissance mission on a group of ninja that were assumed to be from Iwagakure. I wasn't terribly worried about it; it seemed easy enough.

Glancing out the window to check the status of the rising sun, I swiftly put the logs back in their rightful place and headed for the oasis.

I jogged up to the pool of water just as the sun broke over the horizon. With a grin, I fell backwards on the sand, feeling its cool texture against my skin. I loved feeling the sand heat up as the sun rose into the sky; feeling its warmth in the morning was comforting.

It felt like it was going to be a beautiful day. A single white, cotton-candy cloud floated across the sky without a care in the world. I imagined it looked like a dolphin jumping up from the sea. The ocean would be nice to visit again someday. Perhaps I could convince Father to take Mother and I again.

The first and only time I had traveled to the ocean was because my personal trainer had convinced my father that the ocean was the best place to learn water jutsu. I never went to the academy as the other children did; my father feared I would be injured if I trained with the other children. I laughed softly as I remembered the day I came home beaten and bruised from training at the ocean.

Father was erratic, calling a medic team to heal my very shallow wounds and pacing like a madman during the whole process. I swore I saw one of the medic-nins roll her eyes at my Father's behavior. Luckily, I managed to convince Father not to fire my sensei, who whole-heartedly laughed at the whole experience.

Even so, sensei taught me a lot more than what I would have learned at the Academy from teachers that taught many students, most of whom were Wind Natures. Being a Water Nature, sensei taught me that being _in_ the water allowed me to channel my chakra easier and allowed me to handle it better. I hadn't seen sensei since just before my team placement; I haven't dared to look at his files since then.

Thoughts from my past continued to flow through my mind as I felt the sand slowly warm from the sun. The graduation ceremony from the Academy was an odd one; none of the students had ever seen me before. Masaru mentioned a few days later that he had thought I was lost. The room had been dead quiet when the sensei had called my name to be put into a team. Everyone knew the Norimoto name.

Many from my family still wondered why I became a ninja when I could relax and involve myself in politics like they did. I had never felt the need to engross myself in the wealth of my family, though sometimes I admit to spoiling myself a little every once in a while. Being a ninja and protecting my loved ones had always interested me, and I fell in love with the career from the first day of training.

I opened a single eye as I felt something gently prod my shoulder. Gaara stood a few feet away; his sand poked me a few times more. Sitting up, I realized the sun was a lot higher than I expected. I suppose time got away from me very often. Baki sat on a rock by the oasis, a pile of paperwork needing to be done sat by him.

I smiled up to Gaara and patted the ground next to me, "Umeboshi?" I offered one of the plums. He sort of glared. I took that as a no.

I shrugged, "We won't be moving too much today, Gaara-san." We weren't far from the water, so the spot I was currently at was perfect. Gaara slightly raised a non-existent brow and sat where he was, gourd at his side like always.

"Today is going to be a little different," I stood and walked onto the water, then sat cross legged on the surface, right in the middle. "Pull the sand up from the bottom. As you do that, I'm going to try to pull the water away from it."

I placed the palms of my hands on the surface of the water and closed my eyes, just as sensei had taught me. "You may begin whenever you're ready Gaara-san."

I felt the surface ripple slightly as the water-sodden sand at the bottom moved slowly. The mud broke the surface at my left; I felt a few splashes of it land on my dress, but I pushed the thought aside.

I focused on the water in the mud, and pulled it back down towards the oasis. The process was slow and took more chakra than yesterday. I allowed myself to sink into the water to divert the chakra usage; when I hit the bottom, my chin just touched the surface.

At least the mud would be washed off.

No, concentrate.

Finally, after a long while of tug-a-war, the water gradually pulled away from the sand and dripped back into the pool. My breathing sped up as my chakra reserves depleted.

I released the jutsu and opened my eyes with a gasp. I was soaked to the bone. I looked to where the mud was; it was sinking back into the water. A fist sized ball of sand was floating in the air, twisting and turning at its controller's command. My shoulders slumped.

All that chakra for _that_ much sand? Man, this would take a long time… Sometimes I hate water.

I stood and sloshed my way to shore, dropping to my knees and allowing myself to fall onto the dry shore. Sand would be _everywhere_, but at that moment I didn't care. Catching my breath from the chakra expenditure, I looked over at Gaara.

He was looking at me with a blank expression, still seated. I laughed softly; he probably thought I was so weak for running out of chakra so fast.

I trusted he wouldn't let me know though.

"I'm sorry, Gaara-san. I'm not as lucky as you to have so much chakra to spare," I said, rolling over so my back was to the ground. Might as well even out my back side with sand. My glasses were dirty again. I closed my eyes with a sigh.

A nap sounded amazing right now. Sleeping out in this sun would be illogical though. Getting a terrible sunburn in this heat was a guarantee. Later, I would sleep.

I wondered what to do for the rest of the day. Shop? Did that yesterday. Go home? Boring.

"Gaara-san, what do you do on days like these? When there's no more training to be had, but many more hours in the day."

It was quiet for a moment, except for the scribbling of Baki working on paperwork.

"I… grow cacti," he said softly. I opened my eyes with a grin on my lips and then sat up on my elbows to look at him. He was looking down towards the water.

"I'd love to see them sometime, Gaara-san. I bet they're beautiful." Secretly, I wondered if he grew Beavertail cacti.

The conversation grew into silence, as our conversations often did.

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><p>Well, there's the 5th chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. My college classes started Monday, so I'm going to be slow uploading these for now until... 10 weeks from now. xD<p>

I'd love a few reviews! c: Thank you for reading!


	6. Ch6: The Teammates

Ahhh! Sorry for the late update, guys. College is swamping me with stuff, especially my Art class. My professor reminds me of Edna Mode from The Incredibles! Looool. "Oh, noh, dahling, jus ask Mika." She's amazing. Juss sayin'.

Thank you **YellowMittens** and **BooBoo** (once again!) for reviewing! c: I love knowing people actually enjoy reading this. Seriously, you have no idea how much that means to me. 333

As always, _Naruto_ doesn't belong to me. 3

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><p>Two days had passed since Gaara and I first started the water training. We had made good progress, though at a slower pace than I had anticipated, mostly due to my inability to keep pulling at the water for long periods of time.<p>

The sand being extracted from the mud during each session was slowly getting bigger; it had doubled in size since the last. Gaara never seemed nearly as exhausted as I was after training. I started wondering who was training who last time

and laughed out loud, causing a few stares from Baki and Gaara.

For the sixth time, I sat in the sand by the oasis, waiting for my student and his caretaker. I thought about what we would do for the day as the sun rose. A break from water training would be a good idea; perhaps I could take Gaara around the village and have him mingle with the villagers.

A small scene of Gaara walking through the street with screams of horror from the villagers crossed my mind. Perhaps that wasn't the best idea for the time being… I smiled when an idea crossed my mind. I would ask Gaara when he arrived.

As if on cue, a small tornado of wind and sand appeared not too far away; Gaara and Baki had arrived. For a split second I wished I could teleport as dramatically as that. Everyone would know when Norimoto Toshiko arrived on scene.

"Ah, Baki," I started, "Gaara and I won't be training today. I have something else in mind. I suppose you may go home…"

He raised his visible eyebrow, "What will you two be doing then?" He made his way towards me, Gaara not far behind.

"I thought it would be nice if Gaara decided what we would do today. Besides training, of course," I stood and brushed the sand off myself. "Nothing ridiculously dangerous, I promise."

He was silent for a few seconds then nodded slowly, "Alright."

"Baki, come here, please," I motioned the taller man over. He raised a brow for the second time and walked a bit closer. I waited a few moments before continuing. "You need to learn to trust Gaara-san, Baki. If his own caretaker doesn't trust him, why should the rest of the village?"

He glared softly, which I considered to be his expression for being deep in thought, as my hands came to rest at my hips and I raised a brow at the Jounin, "It is simple logic, but that's all I needed to tell you. Good day, Baki." He nodded, then quickly disappeared in a small whirlwind.

"Gaara-san~? What would you like to do today?" I skipped over to the Jinchuriki, hands behind my back. He looked at me silently, head tilted just a little to the left.

I huffed, "You know, you're going to have to be more talkative if you're going to be Kazekage, Gaara-san. No one wants a silent leader." A few more seconds passed as I looked at him curiously.

…

"We could… Go through the village… The villagers need to trust me," he said softly while looking towards the oasis.

My face must have fallen some; he looked right at me. The scene of Gaara and the screaming villagers played through my head again. "Is… that a problem?" He seemed confused to my reaction.

"N-No, Gaara-san, of course not. Going to the village is a wonderful idea. You are completely right; the villagers need to trust their future Kazekage," I smiled warmly, masking my fear of what could possibly happen.

Not much later, we were at the western village gates. I took a deep breath as we entered the village and headed towards the center, where the hustle and bustle of everyday life happened in Sunagakure.

We weren't too far away when I heard how busy it was; I heard laughing children, venders calling out prices for that day's produce, and wives hurrying their husbands to the next shop. Nervously, I fiddled with the hem of my dress.

"Toshi-chaaaaaan!" _BAM_!

Without warning, I was slammed to the ground, smothered by a blur of black and tan. "N-Nana-chan…?" My glasses were nowhere to be seen; everything in my vision consisted of smudges of browns.

"Of course it's me, Toshi-chan! You didn't tell me you were going shopping today!" She clung to me some more, nuzzling my shoulder from what I felt.

I sighed, "Nana-chan, I can't see… You knocked my glasses away." I looked around to see if I could find any hint of my accessory.

"Oh! They are…," She trailed off, most likely looking around for them. "I can't find them."

I slapped my hand to my forehead and groaned, "Nana-chan, how many pairs of my glasses have you lost now?" Many times, whether it be in training or just out and about, Nanaki had an odd habit of knocking my glasses off my face and was usually unable to find them.

She pondered for a moment, "Uhm…. Fiv-"

"Seventeen, Nana-chan. Mother will have my hide if she knows another pair is gone…" I rubbed my temples, "Go get Masa-kun to help find them."

"Yes, ma'am!" And she was gone. I slumped my shoulders from where I sat on the ground.

"Gaara-san? Are you still here?" I asked openly, hoping I wasn't left in the middle of Sunagakure while blind as a bat.

Suddenly, I saw a black blur in front of my face, "Here. They landed in my hands when you fell…"

Gently taking my glasses, I looked up at the red blur, "Thank you Gaara-san… I would have been in a pinch if you hadn't caught them. I'm sure Nanaki is lost about now."

I put them on after polishing them up on my dress. He stood close to me, closer than while we were training, and held a hand out. I stared at it for a moment. Smiling softly, I took his hand and lifted myself up. Brushing myself off, I thanked him.

"… Was she your teammate?" Gaara asked then stood silent, waiting for an answer. I smiled at the thought that he was slowly coming out of his shell; he had said more today than I had ever heard him say.

I nodded, "Nanaki was my teammate back when I was a Genin. She's not the sharpest kunai, but she can throw one better than anyone I've ever seen."

A thought popped into my mind, "I can introduce you to Nanaki and Masaru, my other teammate, if you'd like. Masaru's always near Nanaki; he doesn't like being alone where his stalkers can get to him."

Gaara nodded softly. "Masaru's… stalkers?"

I grinned, "You'll see Gaara-san. I'm sure you'll have a few when you become Kazekage; you're just as handsome as Masaru, if not more." I laughed softly then turned, "Common', let's go find them."

Gaara's eyes widened slightly and raised his non-existent eyebrows in surprise. I never noticed.

After a few minutes of searching, we found Nanaki and Masaru on the edges of the market talking. "I appreciate you bringing Masaru back to hunt or my glasses," I laughed as Gaara and I approached.

Nanaki turned crimson red, "T-Toshi-chan! I must have forgotten… I'm sorry."

I grinned and poked her bandaged stomach softly, "No worries Nana-chan; Gaara-san caught them when you attacked me."

She blinked. "Gaara..?" She leaned to the side to look behind me. Gaara stood there with his massive gourd. "Oh, Gaara!" She was suddenly in front of him, grinning and shaking his hand. "Hi! I'm Kaneyama Nanaki, but Toshi-chan must've told you that already! We used to be-"

Suddenly sand wrapped itself around her ankles and pulled her up into the air, holding her upside down. Gaara's eyes were wide; he still had his hand held out when Nanaki was shaking it, obviously not used to being treated like that.

I gasped, "Nana-!" Once again that day, the screams of terror from the villagers flashed through my mind.

"THIS IS SO COOL!" Nanaki was grinning ear to ear, twisting and turning to look at the sand holding her up in the air. She laughed, "Gaara, you're totally going to train with me one day, right?"

I stood, shocked. She didn't scream. None of the villagers nearby seemed to mind, except a few who gave Nanaki an odd look for screaming her excitement. Completely dumbfounded, I forgot about Masaru. He gently nudged my shoulder to bring me out of my trance.

I couldn't decipher Gaara's expression; I'm positive he wasn't responsible for the sand's reaction, but he was completely unprepared for Nanaki's reaction. He nodded to her, "Y-yeah…" Gently, he made the sand put her right side up and on the ground.

"Woo-hoo! Masaru should come too! I'm sure he would like it." Nanaki grinned and pointed with her thumb back to Masaru. He was still next to me, slightly shocked by the past few second's events, but casual nonetheless.

"It would be my pleasure. Akawa Masaru, former teammate of these two." He motioned to Nanaki and I, then held out his hand for a handshake. Thankfully, he was a lot less straightforward.

Gaara tentatively took his hand and shook lightly. I couldn't help but smile. Perhaps I had helped Gaara make some friends, a below average intelligence bimbo and a handsome ginger, but friends.

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><p>Well, there's chapter 6. ^ ^ Hope you guys like it. GAH Gaara's so friggen adorable in this one. x3<p>

I'd love some reviews, like always~


	7. Ch7: The Merchants

Holy crap! I got **FIVE** reviews for that last chapter! 3

YellowMittens: I'm glad I actually portrayed it like that; I was worried sick it would seem different. And thanks for the luck!

Juliedoo: Yes, yes I believe she did. xD

LadyAmazon: I really have no idea what its like to have glasses, but I'm glad my theory was right! c:

koodori-mayanaka-hana: Thanks! c: I'm definitely trying.

jlk: I really hope that's true. But I'm incredibly grateful for the reviews I do get. :D

I seriously love you all. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. And to celebrate, I bring you this seventh chapter. ;D

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><p>I yawned and stretched for the countless time that morning, waiting in my usual spot at the oasis for Gaara and Baki. Yesterday's events with my former teammates and Gaara were entertaining, but I had forgotten about the paperwork I was regularly assigned at the Council; I had stayed up late into the night completing the piles that had accumulated.<p>

The sun was well above the horizon; my student should arrive any moment. As always, he was right on time, but was walking with two others instead of Baki.

Temari and Kankuro, as scheduled, had arrived back from their mission this morning. I assumed they wished to see the progress Gaara and I had made in their absence. I would have to ask them what they learned about the Iwagakure ninja.

I nodded to each of them as they approached, "Hello, Temari-san. Kankuro-san." I smiled at Gaara instead of saying a greeting.

"You best be taking care of my little brother, Toshiko," Temari grinned with her hands on her hips, smug as ever. "He's told me you two have made some progress with training."

Again, I nodded, "I'm making sure if his sand ever gets soaked that he'll be able to pull the sand away from it and continue to fight. I'm sure with the luck of the previous Kazekages we've had, there'll be some Water Natures begging to fight Suna."

I sighed, "Gaara-san, when you're Kazekage, make sure not to inherit the luck of the former Kage." Laughing, I stood. "Might as well get started."

Temari and Kankuro made their way to some rocks to sit on while they watched. Just as the previous times, I waded into the oasis, not bothering to walk on the surface. I sat on the bottom and got comfortable.

Gaara usually sat while we did this, but he stood on the shore, gourd on the ground next to him. I raised a brow but didn't question him. "Ready when you are, Gaara-san." I closed my eyes and held the seal of the tiger.

The mud shot to the surface much faster than before; my eyes shot open in surprise. Gaara held his arms out in front of him, moving them in tandem with the mud that was now floating in the air. I grinned as I realized Gaara must have been training at night while the village was asleep.

Closing my eyes quickly again and regaining my focus, I concentrated on the water in the mud floating above the oasis. The force the Jinchuriki was pulling with was immense and just a little tug from me was all it took to separate the water; soon the entire ball of sand was as dry as the rest in the desert.

I couldn't help but laugh at our accomplishment, Gaara's accomplishment. "Yes!" I leaned back into the water and went under for a moment, sputtering and laughing some more as I came back up. "Once more Gaara-san. Faster this time!"

Our training continued throughout the day. In fact, we had been able to extract all the water from the sand so many times that I had lost count. Temari and Kankuro were quiet most of the time, but they must have been encouraging for Gaara.

The ball of mud Gaara had been able to pull up from the oasis grew and grew at an alarming rate. By the end of the day, the entire water source for the oasis was floating above the desert; it was an awe inspiring sight.

Both Gaara and I were spent for chakra by the time the sun went down, we sat gasping by the water's edge. "That was amazing, Gaara-san! I can't believe you did that so quickly," I grinned at the red-head. I didn't expect a response from him; he was gazing out towards the horizon, probably deep in thought.

"Tomorrow you'll have to try and do that without my help; I don't think I'll be able to do that at that scale again," I allowed myself to lie back on the sand. My clothes and hair were stark dry, thankfully. The sand soaked up as much water as possible during Gaara's training, even my canteens were empty of the liquid.

Temari and Kankuro made their way over to us. They had stayed the entire training session. Temari went to Gaara, holding out a water canteen for him. Kankuro stood off to the side a bit closer to me.

"Hey, Kankuro," I called for him. If there was any time to ask about the Iwa ninjas, now would be it. The puppet master just looked in my direction.

I sat up, "How was the mission? Did the Iwagakure ninjas pose a threat?" I watched Kankuro as he sauntered my way then sat next to me in the sand.

"Nah. Though, Temari and I don't believe they're Iwagakure ninjas. They have the hitai-ate of Iwa, but they aren't dressed the part. Their demeanor is more that of traveler merchants," Kankuro gripped the hem of his hat and slid it off his head.

I raised a brow. Sunagakure merchants pretending to be Iwagakure ninja? Something didn't seem right about the situation. I tilted my head to the side in thought, "Let us hope they are just unintelligent merchants pretending to be Iwagakure ninja…" I trailed off.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. I couldn't help but think of the merchants. Why?

If they were actual merchants trying to protect themselves by pretending to be ninja, they would be killed if an uninformed squad of Suna ninja crossed their path. Iwagakure has always been a sworn enemy of Sunagakure; fighting for resources has been going on for generations.

Another scenario: if Iwagakure ninja were to find out the merchants were impersonating them, they would also be killed. Ninja villages are proud of their ninja and symbol, impersonation is not tolerated and those who try and are caught are almost always killed on sight.

Perhaps the "merchants" _were_ actually Iwagakure ninja. What would they gain by pretending to be merchants? They obviously weren't very good ninja if they were wearing their hitai-ate while trying to be undercover. Merchants with ties to Iwa would not be allowed into the village, or anywhere near it for that matter.

Conceivably, taking into consideration the "merchants" were smart enough to think ahead, the entire façade could be to take attention away from the real problem. I thought back to the past few weeks. Nothing was out of place or odd about the village, nor was there anything out of the ordinary for the missions that were being assigned.

I groaned and rubbed my temples, "Why?" I stared up at my ceiling as I lay on my bed.

The entire circumstance was out of place. There seemed to be no reason for Iwagakure ninja to pretend to be merchants, nor for merchants to pretend to be Iwagakure ninja.

I took off my glasses and sat them on my nightstand. Perhaps a good night's sleep would allow me to think clearer about it. I rolled over and closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to overcome my senses.

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><p>What are these merchants planning? O: Only I know, but you'll find out eventually. ;D If you ask nicely, I <em>might<em> give out a few hints.

Reviews, please? I live off of them.

**DON'T LEAVE YET!** I'm thinking about putting a few filler chapters here and there and I'd love if you guys threw some ideas at me. :D I have a couple ideas, but I'd love to hear what you can think of!


	8. Ch8: The Dream

Four more reviews! c: Thanks **DemonMiko_Jenna**, **jkl****, amierae**, and **SilentMusixBox**! I really cannot believe how much positive support I'm getting for this story. 3 I love all of you.

Is it weird that I write all these chapters with my Gaara plushie with me, then e-mail them to my boyfriend to read and point out the errors? xDDD

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><p>Sleep never came, the next morning arrived without a wink of rest. I sighed and rolled out of bed. The merchants posing as ninja, or ninja posing as merchants… Whatever they are, kept coming to mind. I couldn't think of one possible scenario in which either of those circumstances could be true.<p>

Groggily, I managed to get ready and make my way out the door. It was late by the time I made it to the oasis, a good hour past when Gaara and I were supposed to start training.

Of course, he was already there practicing. A large amount of sand and mud floated above the surface of the water; he was ripping the sand from the water by himself. Temari and Kankuro were nowhere to be seen. Baki was in his usual spot, scribbling away at paperwork.

I sat on a rock by the water near where Gaara was practicing. Rubbing my eyes, I said, "Sorry, Gaara-san… I was up all night thinking. I'm not used to it like you are." I smiled as warmly as I could, considering how tired I was.

He simply nodded, not wanting to lose his concentration. I continued to smile at him. In less than nine days Gaara had been able to achieve more than I would have thought anyone possible.

I believed he genuinely cared for his village, despite what the people put him through in the past. I would never know the pain he felt or what it was like to be in his position; I was always a pampered and spoiled child, always given the things I needed and wanted.

Even now I would never understand what it would be like to be the infamous Sabaku no Gaara. The villagers still feared him, even though he hasn't harmed any of them for quite some time. I suppose the only person who would ever understand what it was like is Uzumaki Naruto.

Only once has Gaara spoken about him, but I could sense that the Ichibi Jinchuriki held a deep respect for the Konoha ninja. I wondered what it was like for Gaara when Uzumaki literally beat some sense into him. Never before had Gaara been defeated, let alone by someone who knew everything Gaara had been through.

The most admiral position within Sunagakure was the Kazekage. What drove Gaara to strive to be the best? To be one of the five most powerful ninjas in the world?

Did he want respect? Recognition? Acknowledgement?

I wouldn't know. Almost every person in Sunagakure knows the Norimoto name; I am respected, recognized and acknowledged solely based on the fact that I have relations to the Daimyou. I wish the people of Sunagakure didn't recognize my name all the time; I wanted to be normal for just a single day.

What did Shukaku think of this whole situation? The masochistic Bijuu probably took pleasure from the fact that Gaara's past was filled with hatred and blood, but now, I had no idea. Gaara was slowly, but surely, making friends. He was coming out of his shell and talking more and worked hard to gain the acceptance of the people.

Shukaku must be boiling, possibly beating on the cage that contained him. I could never imagine Gaara's life, and he could probably never imagine mine. What if we switched places? I probably couldn't handle any of what Gaara had to deal with on a daily basis.

Insomnia.

Prejudice.

Fear, perhaps.

Fear of the villagers.

Fear of himself.

Did he fear me? I thought of Gaara as a friend; I hadn't had many of those throughout my life. Nanaki and Masaru were my two closest friends and I thought they would be my only ones for a long time. Many others tried to become friends with me, though it was mostly because of the fame and wealth that came along with my name.

Gaara was becoming part of my inner circle, my friends and family, the people I would protect with my life if push came to shove. I hoped he started to think of me in the same way. Not because I am a Norimoto, but because I help and care for Gaara, as true friends do.

Gaara may not understand me, and I may not understand Gaara, but I felt deep down that one day he would be considered a very important person to the entire village. And to-

I was jolted awake as I smacked face-first into the desert sand. I blinked a few times. When did I fall asleep? I looked around.

The sky was dark; the twinkling stars and full moon reflected off the water's surface. A slight breeze twisted through the palm tree leaves. Gaara was sitting on a rock nearby, gourd leaning against his seat. He was looking at me, probably because I rolled off the rock I was laying on.

I looked up and noticed a small shield of sand above where I was laying before. I smiled softly. No wonder I wasn't sunburned.

"I'm sorry for falling asleep, Gaara-san… I didn't realize I had," I stood and brushed the sand off my clothes. "Did you make any progress while I was being lazy?"

He reached out a hand towards the water. Pure sand, dry as could be, rippled out of the water, forming a small sphere. It floated towards me. I held out my hands with a grin as Gaara released the sand from its containment; I felt how chilly the sand was as it slipped through my fingers, just like the water that had surrounded it.

"Amazing, Gaara-san! You don't even need my help anymore. I guess I won't be going on any missions with you to Kiri anytime soon," I laughed softly.

The air was silent, though comfortable. I used the time to think about what I would have Gaara do for the next mission. "Gaara-san? Would you like to train with Masaru and Nanaki in the morning? I have a good idea to put your new abilities to the test."

The red-head nodded, "Nanaki… seemed excited to train…"

I clapped my hands together once with a large grin, "Yes! Have a wonderful rest of the night, Gaara-san! I'll see you in the morning!" I ran off towards the village, waving back at Gaara as I did so.

Hopefully it wasn't late enough for Nanaki and Masaru to be asleep, but I would wake them up if they were. I reached Masaru's house first.

I had been to his house enough times to know his room was on the second floor, middle window. Thankfully, the light was still on. I looked around for a small pebble, then tossed the one I found lightly at the glass. A few seconds later, Masaru bright orange hair was visible. He opened the window and looked down at me, lazily resting his arms on the window track.

"Toshiko?" he seemed confused why I was out and about this late, not to mention throwing rocks at his window.

"Masa-kun, I need you to come to Gaara-san's training tomorrow at the oasis. And don't tell me you have a mission tomorrow, because you know I know you don't," I grinned.

He sighed, "Fine, fine… I'll be there at 10."

"Don't be late~" I waved as he closed the window. Now I had to go to Nanaki's house. She didn't live to far away, so the trip was quick. Once again, I tossed a pebble I found at her window. Her lights were off, but I'm sure she would hear.

She creaked her window open, rubbing sleep from her eyes and yawning, "Whatcha wan', Toshi-chan?"

"Train with Gaara-san tomorrow at the oasis?" I didn't need to say much; I knew she would be ecstatic about the opportunity to train with the monster of the sand.

She was suddenly wide awake, "Yeah! What time, Toshi-chan? I'll be there!" She punched the air with a large grin.

I laughed softly, "It's at 10. Don't be late or we'll start without you!"

She nodded and shut the window, probably going back to bed once again. I decided now would be a good time to head back to my own home. Tomorrow would come soon enough, as well as the excitement.

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><p>Well, there's chapter 8. ;D Its getting good, yeah?<p>

Reviews, pleeeaaassseeeee? 3 You guys know how much I love them.


	9. Ch9: The Fight

Thank you so much to my reviewers **QueenOfBunnie****s**, **DemonMiko_Jenna**, and **Shoulda_Been_Grace**. A few of you (earlier) had been asking for fluuuuufff. Well, I hate to tell you this, but that doesn't happen for a bit, but when it does, you'll be drowning in it. ;D I'm going to tease all of you and let you know that I made more fanart of Toshiko with Gaara and in other situations, but I won't show you them until those things happen. ;3 They aren't on my DA either, so don't bother checking. Love you guys! 3

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><p>The morning after, I was up in a flash. I couldn't help but feel excited for the prospect of fighting Gaara alongside my former teammates. It had been a while since we fought together, but I'm sure our teamwork is just as good now as it ever has been.<p>

I made sure my water canteens were full and that I was thoroughly hydrated before heading out to the oasis. This was the one day I was positive I didn't want to be caught without any water resources.

Quickly, I made my way for the oasis through the village. There were already people out and about, but I didn't pay them much attention.

I met Masaru on the way; he was strolling along at a lazy pace, enjoying the views and the surprisingly not-too-hot weather. Hands shoved in his pockets, he glanced over at me as I fell into step with him, "Hello, Toshiko."

"Good morning, Masa-kun. Are you prepared for our fight with Gaara-san today?" I nudged his shoulder and smiled.

He raised a ginger brow, "Of course. When am I ever not prepared, Toshiko?" He nudged my shoulder back gently.

I laughed softly, "That is very true, Masa-kun. At least you aren't like Nana-chan!" We laughed together and fell into a comfortable silence. A few minutes passed as we both admired the village.

"Here comes scatter-brains…," Masaru nodded towards the left to where Nanaki was racing towards us, a cloud of dust following behind her.

"Tooooshi-chaaaaan! Masaaaaa-kuuuuun!" Nanaki tackled Masaru, though he didn't budge. He was so used to Nanaki's antics that they didn't bother him much anymore, but that didn't mean that Nanaki didn't like to try.

She had a massive grin on her face and clung to Masaru's back, wrapping her arms and legs around him, "Ready for our fight, guys?"

I rolled my eyes playfully, "When are we ever ill-prepared, Nana-chan?"

She paused and thought for a moment, "I suppose that's true… Great! This will be awesome!" It was quiet.

We all busted up laughing, just like old times.

I wiped my eyes free of laughing tears and grinned, "I miss you guys. We will have to go on a mission after we beat Gaara-san." I winked and they both smiled back.

We had finally arrived at the oasis, Gaara and Baki were already waiting for us. Nanaki hopped off Masaru's back and walked with us for the last few feet.

"You better be ready Gaara! We aren't going to hold back!" Nanaki was giddy with excitement; it was entertaining watching her squirm in anticipation.

The Jinchuriki narrowed his eyes. He wasn't used to being so openly challenged. I laughed, "Stay here for a moment you two. I'll be back in a moment." I walked over to Gaara and his caretaker, a grin on my lips.

"Don't underestimate those two, Gaara-san. You'd be surprised what they can do when they put their minds to it," I pulled off my glasses and polished them up. "Baki-san, would you be so kind to be the moderator? Allow anything, unless it means imminent death."

The sensei nodded. I hopped back to my teammates as I placed my glasses back on my nose. We waited for the signal.

…

…

"Begin," Baki said one word and jumped back onto one of the rocks by the oasis to keep an eye on the battle.

I stepped backwards behind my two teammates, they didn't move a muscle as we all waited for something to happen. Nanaki slipped four shuriken from her pouch and threw them at Gaara with precise aim. As expected, Gaara's sand caught the weapons with ease.

"Kai!" The weapons specialist clapped her hands and yelled; three large explosions blasted through Gaara's sand, sending a massive dust cloud into the air. Masaru and Nanaki took the opportunity to disappear; I didn't bother, I was no good at hiding my chakra.

My hands moved quickly, removing the caps from my canteens in one swift motion and performing hand seals, ending with the seal of the ox, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

Water rose from my canteens, forming into a long slender dragon. I thrust my hands forward, sending the dragon towards Gaara. At the last moment, it dove to the ground, soaking the sand around and under the red-head, forming a thick mud.

"Doton: Arijigoku!" Masaru's booming voice echoed around us the moment my technique was complete. Gaara's eyes narrowed and looked around, trying to figure out where the ginger was. He started ripping the sand away from the water around him, but the water just sunk deeper into in sand.

Suddenly, the ground underneath shuddered and collapsed in a ring, causing a quicksand like effect in the process. Gaara jumped away from the trap, only to be met with more weapons from Nanaki. She had opened one of her scrolls and was summoning the weapons hidden inside at an alarming rate.

Gaara's absolute defense easily caught all of the objects, even sending them back to Nanaki. She flipped a sai out of its holster on her belt and deflected each and every one, a grin on her lips the entire time.

Four Masaru's erupted from the sand, sending kunai with exploding tags at Gaara. Sand caught them in mid jump, sending them crashing together; rocks and boulders shot away from the collision. The Doton user's Iwa Bunshin were unrivaled in Sunagakure.

In the meantime I had jumped onto the surface of the water in the oasis. I didn't have much chakra left and resorted to using the water available instead of creating and manipulating my own. I dipped my hands into the water, pulling out fist-sized disks of water, and threw them at my opponent, "Suiton: Mizu Shuriken!"

I threw as many as I could as fast as possible, slowing down Gaara's sand until I had a better opening. Gaara was focused on Nanaki, as she seemed to pose the most threat to him. Just as his sand would be about to capture Nanaki, one of my water disks would soak that area, giving Nanaki a chance to move out of the way.

Gaara's eyes travelled to me without his body moving. I gulped softly. Sand shot towards me at an alarming rate, but I held my position. "Doton: Doryuu Heki!" The real Masaru quickly stood from below the sand, his favorite hiding place in the desert, and slammed his hands into the ground. A large rock wall shot into the air, blocking Gaara's sand at the last moment.

"Now, Masa-kun!" I yelled and shot towards him. He held out his hands, fingers laced together and ready. I jumped onto his hands. He propelled me into the air as I jumped; our combined momentum allowed me to travel much higher into the air than usual.

I forced my remaining chakra into the last attack I could perform as I formed the required hand seals. "Suiton: Mizuame Nabara!" I shot my favorite attack at Gaara for the second time. I soaked as much of his sand as I could, forcing extra chakra into the starch to harden it further, "Nana-chan!" I fell towards the ground, drained of chakra. My part was over.

My eyes widened as sand clustered under me, slowing my fall and catching me. Gaara's eyes were on me, distracted for only a moment. I was placed gently on the ground.

Nanaki grinned, "Yes!" She sprinted forward, disappearing due to the amount of speed. Appearing for only brief seconds, she sent punches at Gaara that the surrounding desert sand could barely block. Masaru joined in on the barrage. Though not near as fast as Nanaki, his punches were powerful enough to break through the sand.

"You're going up!" Nanaki suddenly laughed and kicked upward, landing a hit squarely to Gaara's chest. I heard a grunt from the red-head, I doubted he had gotten kicked in the chest many times before. She flipped both her sai out and chased after the flying Jinchuriki, slashing at the leather and cloth holding Gaara's gourd.

Gaara's large accessory fell from his shoulders and headed towards the ground. Sand from the desert caught it and started going after its master. Gaara's eyes were wide as Nanaki slashed at him, cutting into skin and clothing.

I noticed Gaara's skin start to crack and shatter, his sand armor was faltering under Nanaki's attacks. She suddenly flipped around with one of her legs extended, readying for a final attack. Just as her leg was about to connect with Gaara's skull, sand erupted and surrounded her leg, trapping the weapons specialist in its grasp.

Nanaki gasped as her eyes widened. Gaara's sand had caught up with them much faster than she had expected and lost the advantage. Suspended by sand, the Jinchuriki was safe, Nanaki, not so much.

Gaara's sand armor started repairing itself, filling in the cracks and holes. He knelt on his sand platform, clutching his head with his eyes closed. Nanaki was panicing, squirming and slashing at the sand starting to surround her.

My eyes widened, "Nanaki!" I thought through the adrenaline building up and looked at Baki. "Do someth-!"

_**CRACK!**_

Nanaki screamed as her collar bone snapped from the pressure of the sand on her body.

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><p>Well, there's the eighth part in this series. ;o Oh my goodness, what's Gaara going to do now that he broke Nanaki's collar bone? More importantly, how is Toshiko going to react to the whole situation?<p>

Review! ;D Cause I allllways update faster when I get loads of them.


	10. Ch10: The Flowers

Oh my Gaara, I'm sorry it took so long to update this. ; A; The internet at my dorms went out and it was TERRIBLE. /sobs/ Anyways, got two reviews for that last chapter. Thank you my anonymous benefactor and **koodori-mayonaka-hana**! As for your question, Hana-san, you'll be seeing some of that in later chapters. ;D Hang off your seat no longer!

I give you... DUN DUN DUUUUUNNN... Chapter 10!

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><p>The world seemed to stop at that moment. My jaw slackened in shock as Nanaki's scream echoed through the air. I looked up at Nanaki and Gaara, still floating in the air with sand.<p>

Gaara's eyes were wide as Nanaki struggled against the sand surrounding her. Instantly, the sand dissipated its grasp and reformed, holding her gently on a large cushion. Masaru raced over as the Jinchuriki lowered them to the ground gently.

I stood a bit shakily and made my way over as fast as I could, stumbling a bit along the way. Masaru made it to Nanaki first, opening his arms as the sand gently lowered her into them. Gaara reached the ground as well, sitting down instantly with his gourd leaning against him.

I stumbled up to Nanaki, "Nana-chan..!" Masaru held her gently, but firmly, enough to keep her from moving around too much.

She looked up at me, wincing slightly, and smiled, "This is nothing! Remember when-" She bit her lip and hissed from the pain as she suddenly shifted.

Laughing softly, I pat her good shoulder, "Yeah, yeah. 'Remember when we did these things we never actually did?' I know the drill, Nana-chan." I winked and smiled up at Masaru, who nodded.

"I'm taking you to the hospital, Nanaki. No complaining," he turned and walked away with her, making sure she didn't move around too much.

I heard her groan in contempt, "But Masa-kuuuuuun…"

"I said no complaining," He held his ground.

"… Fine… But my hospital room better be filled with flowers!"

I listened until I couldn't hear their bickering anymore. Looking over at Gaara, I noticed he hadn't moved from his seat.

I walked over and sat next to him, "She'll be fine, Gaara-san. Nanaki can handle whatever's thrown at her." I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my head on them, watching Gaara. There were small shallow cuts on his cheeks and arms from Nanaki's sai.

He kept his eyes down to the desert sand, "I lost control…" His emotions were hard to decipher, like always, but I caught a hint of distress in his words. "She reminds me of someone I once fought."

I raised a brow slightly, "Nana-chan? Who does she remind you of?" I thought about Gaara's file, mentally flipping through the pages. Names flashed through my mind: Yashamaru, his uncle whom he killed, Rock Lee, a Konoha ninja, Uchiha Sasuke, a defected Konoha ninja, Uzumaki Naruto, who changed Gaara for the better, Kaguya Kimimaro, an Oto ninja under the control of Orochimaru.

"Rock Lee… In the Chunin exams… I shattered his left arm and leg," he paused for a few moments, then continued, "Kaneyama is… similar to him."

Rock Lee. The report Baki filed in Gaara's file stated he lost against Gaara in the preliminary matches of the Chunin exams. Having broken both Lee's left arm and leg, Gaara had almost guaranteed Lee would never be able to be a ninja again. Tsunade, one of the Konoha Sanin and now the Godaime Hokage, had managed to heal Lee's arm and leg.

Owing a debt to Konoha, Gaara felt he needed to repay Lee and the village by participating in the Uchiha Sasuke Retrieval mission. There was where he fought Kimimaro with Lee at his side.

I laughed softly, "Rock Lee? Gaara-san, you didn't jeopardize Nana-chan being a ninja. A collar bone is nothing to get worked up over." It was true. Ninja came back from missions with wounds worse than shattered collar bones and were completely capable of returning to being a ninja a few weeks later.

He didn't say anything. I looked at the pile of sliced leather straps and cloth next to Gaara's gourd, "If anything, Gaara-san, Nana-chan owes you something to keep your gourd on!" I grinned and watched his reaction.

He looked at me from the corner of his eyes. Was that a smile? I wasn't sure, but I'd take it as one. It wasn't every day you saw Sabaku no Gaara smile.

"Do you want to come to the flower shop with me? I heard Nana-chan say she wanted flowers in her hospital room before Masa-kun took her to there," I stood and brushed the sand off my clothes. I probably smelled like sweat and sand, but friends before hygiene, I always said.

He also stood. Suddenly, his entire gourd started crumbling into sand. I supposed that dragging it around would be useless. The sand floated in the air and travelled towards the village, in a direction that I assumed was the Kazekage mansion, where Gaara lived.

He picked up the pile of leather and cloth and threw it over his shoulder, then nodded towards me.

"First, we have to get those cuts of yours cleaned up. If they got infected, I don't think you'd be very happy about it," I walked up next to him and motioned it was time to go. I looked back at where Baki was. He was gone.

As we walked to the village, I decided I'd try and pry into what Gaara thought of this Rock Lee person. Putting my hands behind my head, I asked, "Do you consider Lee your friend, Gaara-san? He forgave you for the Chunin exam incident, didn't he?"

The red-head nodded, "Yes… He taught me to fight harder for the people you… care about."

"Do you have any important people, Gaara-san?" I inquired, still walking in pace with him; we were close to the village gates now. I was genuinely curious about who he considered "important" in his life.

He thought for a few seconds, "Temari and Kankuro, as well as my friends…" Family and friends was always a good starting point.

"I'm positive they care for you as well, Gaara-san," I smiled as we walked through the West Gates. An herbal shop next to a private greenhouse was to our left, "Ah! Wait right here Gaara-san. I'll be right back."

I jogged into the shop, looked through the racks of medicines, and picked up a tube of antibiotic ointment. After paying, I jogged back out, "Here, Gaara-san. This may sting a little…"

I squeezed some out onto my finger, it was a clear gel. Gently, I smeared it onto the small gash on his cheek, then on the few cuts on his arms. His skin was soft, not rough and grainy like I expected. Putting the cap back on the tube, I put it into my back pouch for later use, "Does it hurt?"

He blinked a few times, "It… tickles…"

I blinked. Suddenly, I busted out laughing, doubling over and holding my sides. I doubted Gaara would understand why I thought his comment was so funny, but I couldn't help but laugh. After a minute or two, I calmed down, sighing contently. I needed a good laugh every once in a while.

Gaara just stared. I felt my cheeks heat up, "S-Sorry, Gaara-san. I just didn't expect you to say that…" I shuffled my feet, embarrassed by my behavior, "We should get to the flower shop, though. Nana-chan is probably waiting."

I kept my head down as we continued on our way to the flower shop. It wasn't too far from the hospital, and was full of brightly colored flowers from all over, including Sunagakure and imports from Konoha.

I grinned as I skipped inside, Gaara followed warily. "What kind of flowers should we get her, Gaara-san?" I asked, and twirled in the middle of the shop. It smelled of peace inside the shop, the complete harmony of scents from every flower was calming and cheerful.

He glanced around a few times, then pointed at a yellow chrysanthemum, "That one?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Gaara-san, do you secretly love Nana-chan? That's what that flower means." I swore I saw a small blush creep up on his cheeks, though that might have been the slight gleam of light off the ointment.

He shook his head quickly, I giggled, "Here, I'll help you." Looking around, I skipped about the shop, picking a few flowers here and there until two entire bouquets were in my arms. One was filled with blue Hyacinths, white Tulips and a couple pink roses, the other consisted of yellow Yarrow, purple Zinnias and a few white Stephanotis.

"Yours is this one," I motioned to the first bouquet, "and mine is the other." Smiling, I brought them to the counter, "I'll get them, Gaara-san." I noticed he was reaching into his pocket, presumably for his wallet.

The hostess remembered me immediately, I had visited here plenty times before, "Oh, Toshiko-chan! It's so nice to see you agai-" She stopped mid sentence as she noticed Gaara behind me. I glared at her; there would be none of that attitude towards Gaara. She knew my name, and for once, I was thankful for having such a position within the Sunagakure political system.

"-n. W-Who is this, Toshiko-chan?" The hostess smiled forcefully, which I considered a step in the right direction.

"This is Gaara-san. We're buying flowers for someone in the hospital," I smiled and pulled out my money to pay for the bouquets.

"O-Oh. That's nice. Pleasure to meet you, Gaara-san… Here is your change, Toshiko-chan," She handed my change back.

"Thank you!" I grabbed the bouquets and headed for the door, "Let's go, Gaara-san…" The red-head was right on my heels.

We were on our way to the hospital, finally, in silence, which I started getting used to a while back ever since training with Gaara.

"What do those flowers mean?" I almost tripped from the shock of Gaara's question. Regaining my balance, I looked over at him. He was looking at me curiously.

I blinked, "Of the bouquets?" He nodded.

"Both of them, you mentioned the one meant something… Do they all have meanings?" He must have been talking about the yellow Chrysanthemum I told him was for secret admirers.

"Oh! Yes, most of them do." I started with the bouquet I picked out for him, pointing out each one as I went, "The blue ones are Hyacinths, which mean 'I'm sorry,' the white Tulips mean you're asking for forgiveness, and the pink roses are for friendship."

I moved onto my bouquet, "These are Yarrow. I'm wishing her good health. The purple ones are Zinnias, which mean that her friends are thinking of her, and the white ones are Stephanotis. They're for good luck."

Gaara stared at the two bouquets as we walked, "Does she know what they all mean?"

I giggled, "Probably not, but it's the thought that counts, right? My mother likes flowers a lot, so she taught me all of the meanings for them."

He nodded just as we reached the hospital. I found out what room Nanaki was in and we made our way there.

Masaru was sitting in a chair by the window overlooking the village while Nanaki was passed out sleeping in the bed, her arm in a sling. Masaru looked up as we entered, "They gave her something while they set the bone; it knocked her out pretty quickly."

There were two vases set up by the window already filled with water. Masaru must have figured I would take Gaara to the flower shop. I put the flowers in their respective vases and arranged them so they looked decent, "How long will she be out of commission?"

"Doc said about 8 weeks. She was pretty bummed, but said she finally got to take a long needed break," Masaru smiled warmly.

I looked around the room once again, stopping at a pad of paper and a pen sitting on the night stand, "Well, that's not too bad…" I wrote a quick note for Nanaki, wishing her a quick healing process and wonderful break. I then signed my name carefully; I had plenty of practice at the Council.

I ripped the piece free from the pad and placed it neatly into my bouquet of flowers, "Would you like to write something, Gaara-san? I'm sure Nana-chan will appreciate-" I looked over to see Gaara already scribbling away. I smiled softly.

I wonder what Nanaki will think when she wakes up.

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><p>Awwwww. What a cute couple. I love them so much. 3 Tell me what you guys think! Reviews, please?<p> 


	11. Ch11: A Scroll

I wasn't going to update until Monday, but you guys got lucky, 'cause I'm sick and I've got nuthin' to do but write and stuff. xP Thank you **PossibleSociopath** and **LadyAmazon** for your reviews! (Is it just me or am I getting less and less reviews for each chapter? ; A;) Anyways, here's chapter 11! I hope you enjoy it. C:

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><p>I awoke the next morning late, partially still exhausted from the previous day's events. Thankfully, I had given Gaara and I the day off to recuperate and relax. I was positive that Gaara didn't need any down-time, but I wanted to go to the library to research something.<p>

I pulled on a casual outfit consisting of a simple tank top and knee-length skirt, not expecting to encounter any rouge ninjas or hideous monsters in the center of the village. Who needs all the extra weight of ninja equipment on a day off, anyways? I certainly didn't.

I made my way out the door, making sure to lock it behind me, and headed for the library. It was one of my most favored places in the entire village; I had often gotten scolded from my parents for staying there so late reading, one of the downsides to having loving parents. My position within the council allowed me to go into sections that were restricted to higher up officials even though I was the youngest Council member since its establishment with the Shodai Kazekage.

My knowledge of Sunagakure's history, as well as its forbidden jutsu and hidden secrets vastly outnumbered anyone else's in the village, though I would never speak of what I had read, as per my oath to the Council my first day. I only required one piece of knowledge today, which was important for Gaara's lesson tomorrow.

I reached the library in good time, waving a quick hello at the receptionist, and making my way to the very back, behind a locked door to which I had the key. Smiling, I flipped the light switch on. It flickered a few times before humming softly at a constant pace, illuminating shelves full of books and scrolls. All were coated in a thick layer of dust, not having been touched for quite some time.

Fuuinjutsu…

Where were those scrolls again? These shelves were not organized as clearly as one might think; I decided to check my first instinct and head towards the back, the darkest corner of the room. Scrolls were piled unceremoniously in the corner, many torn open and allowed to disintegrate.

I grabbed one and slid it open, squinting my eyes in the low light. From what I could tell it contained information about sealing techniques; not _exactly_ what I needed, but a close start. I gathered up as many of the scrolls as I could carry and brought them to the brightest part of the room to read. I doubted I would be back at home before the sun fell below the horizon.

What I needed from these scrolls was a way to seal away power. Not just any power, though. Gaara's power.

Temporarily, of course.

I couldn't allow the future Kazekage to run around without his sand to back him up.

I found the thought amusing for a fraction of a second before I pushed it from my mind. I needed to be able to seal away the power Shukaku had over the sand for a few hours to teach him Taijutsu, an area in which Gaara was exceptionally… lacking. His reflexes were slow, from what I saw with the fight yesterday, and that was definitely not something that could be swept under the rug.

I was no Taijutsu specialist myself, but I knew enough to help the Jinchuriki. I was too embarrassed to ask Masaru to help, though I was positive he would rather like to stay with Nanaki for a few days. If only my sensei were here; he was a wonderful Taijutsu expert, able to combine Ninjutsu and Taijutsu flawlessly.

I lazily scanned through the scrolls as my mind wandered to thoughts of my sensei. I was glad I was a good multitasker, otherwise no such feat could have been accomplished.

My sensei's appearance flashed through my mind briefly. Short, shaggy dark blue hair with sideburns, black eyes and a single split fang-like tattoo on his left cheek. If he smiled, pointed canines would glint in the sunlight, as would the multiple piercings he had in his ears and eyebrows. Though his appearance was shocking to some, it had grown on me; I secretly held a childish crush on him the first few years of training. I wondered if he had changed at all since I had last seen him.

One of these days I would gain some courage and look in his file once again.

Takehiko Seiji-sensei was one of the kindest men I had ever spoken to, aside from my very own father. He legitimately cared about my well-being, even going as far as walking me directly home after every training session. Many times he was invited inside my home, sharing meals and laughs with my family. I'm sure if I had an older brother, I would feel the exact same way I do about Seiji-sensei as I would my sibling.

I remembered the first time he took me to the library. Of course, I had been there before that time, but never back to the exact same room I currently occupied. He had managed to allow the Council to let him show me the restricted area of the library. I was so excited then as an eight year old, my huge glasses slid off my nose countless times as I bounced up and down with a massive grin on my lips.

We never read anything that day in the restricted section, but from then on I _knew_ I wanted full access to those secrets. My unyielding curiosity had always gotten the better of me in any situation, be them good or bad, and this was no exception. My navy blue-haired sensei was the one who helped me realize my place within the council; I doubted he realized how thankful I was to him for it.

My thoughts were interrupted as I caught a single word on the parchment in front of me. I had gone through tens of scrolls in detail, unable to find any hint of exactly what I was looking for until this moment.

"Ichibi…," Shukaku's title rolled off my tongue. I read the description of the jutsu before me, gnawing on one of my piercings nervously. A full, detailed description was next to impossible to find in these old scrolls, but what was here said exactly what I wanted to know.

_Ichibi Shisai Fuujin_

_First attempt to seal the involuntary sand defense - failed_

_ - Note: enhance chakra force into Jinchuriki, Ichibi pushed the seal back before attatchment_

_Second attempt - failed_

_ -Note: Bijuu stronger than anticipated, sand killed three medical ninja_

_Third attempt - failed_

_ -Note: Seven more medical ninja killed; no more attempts will be tried on the Jinchuriki_

_MISSON ABORTED_

Below the description of the attempts to seal the sand away was instructions on how whoever invented the jutsu went about doing it. A ninja specialized in entering others' minds would try and place a seal directly onto the cage that held Shukaku, though the Bijuu would have nothing of it.

I frowned as I read more. The first and second attempts were performed on the first Jinchuriki of the Ichibi, the third attempt on the second. They had been strapped down and essentially tortured to exhaustion, though they could not sleep in fear of releasing the demon within them. Thankfully there was no mention of the third Jinchuriki on this scroll; the third container of the Ichibi's chakra was none other than Gaara himself. I would have had a few words for the Council if he were put in the predicament that the first two had to go through.

Pushing my thoughts of the Council aside, I concentrated on the matter at hand. There was a reason this sealing jutsu failed and I was going to figure out why.

I deduced that the main reason for the failures was the fact that the Jinchuriki were exhausted beyond belief, when Shukaku was at his strongest. Though it was easier to enter the mind of others when they were tired or unconscious, that was not the way to go about this situation. However, even if the Jinchuriki were fully awake and willing to undergo those procedures, Shukaku would most likely still be able to repel the sealing attempts from behind his prison.

The only logical way around these problems was to seal the chakra of the person, not the Bijuu. By definition, a Jinchuriki is the container by which a Bijuu's chakra is sealed. If the container's own chakra were sealed, there was no way for the chakra of Shukaku to leak out and control the sand.

I smiled at my findings. With a tired sigh, I stood and stretched, back cracking multiple times. There was still research to be done. Pushing the roll of parchment I needed off to the side, I continued scanning through the rest of the scrolls. This was going to be a long, long night.

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><p>Soooo, what did ya think? :D Review please?<p>

Hey! I have a slight announcement to make. I broke up with my Beta/Boyfriend (LOL, that sounds really bad...) and I'm looking for a new one. Truthfully, I really don't wanna go look for one through the Beta Readers. xD;; Anyways, if you wanna, just toss me a message or say so in your review. C:


	12. Ch12: A Hug

Oh my, I am so sorry for not updating sooner guys. Life has been very demanding lately. :C College is blah and yeah. I've been making my cosplay for AX2012 (if anyone else is going, I'm gunna be Sasori ;D) and my roommate and her friend are also commissioning me to make their cosplays. xD;; So I'm swamped. LOVE YOU GUYS. Thank you to my reviewers, **aqaumarine-acaia**, **katex****leonn**, and **Wildrose**. You're the best! So here's chapter 12!

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><p>Another sleepless night followed my research at the library. What few hours I could have used for sleeping were instead focused on the Fuuinjutsu I had rigged from information on the Shukaku sealing experiments, as well as other chakra sealing jutsu I had found the night before. The seal I had come up with, which I had yet to name, consisted of a square paper seal that was to be placed on Gaara's skin. The kanji for "Sand" was surrounded by consecutive rings of warding seals.<p>

I sighed and grabbed the paper seal from my desk and readied myself to leave. What if the seal didn't work? Or worse, what if it hurt Gaara like the previous two Jinchuriki had been during the experimentation? I probably wouldn't be able to forgive myself if harm came to Gaara because of me. What trust we had established over these days would disintegrate, along with all the hard work Gaara and I had put into making him Kazekage.

Locking the door, I set out for the oasis. The sun was just cresting over the sand dunes as I walked. I took the long route and passed by the hospital where Nanaki was staying. Today would be the last day she would be in there, though the doctors had ordered her to stay out of trouble and off missions for the next two months.

Finally, I had arrived at the oasis. Yawning, I took a seat on a rock near the water to wait for Gaara and Baki. I wasn't terribly excited to see the Suna Jounin since he left while Nanaki's collar bone was being broken, but that's in the past now. There is nothing I can really do about it anyways.

A small whirlwind of sand appeared a few feet away, teleporting Gaara from his whereabouts. His gourd was leaning against one of his legs; he had yet to get another sash or leather strap to hold up the massive weight. Baki wasn't anywhere to be found; perhaps he didn't want to see me either.

I rubbed my eyes and stood from my spot, trying to urge the tiredness away, "Good morning, Gaara-san." Stretching, I continued, "Today I thought we'd try working on your Taijutsu."

Where one his eyebrows should have been raised, "But the sand won't-"

I held up the seal before he could finish. I took a few steps forward, close enough to touch him if I wished, "Do you trust me, Gaara-san? If you don't, I'll figure out-"

"Yes."

I stopped for a moment, staring at the seal held out in my hand. Well, curiosity killed the cat.

"…Don't move…," I reached up to his face, slowly as to not appear as a threat to his sand. Gaara's mind was where Shukaku was being held captive, so logically the only place to put the seal was on his forehead. Gulping softly, I gently brushed locks of his hair from his face.

Wow, his hair was soft. Wait, wait, wait. Focus Toshiko.

Putting just the slightest bit of chakra into the seal, I placed it on his forehead and let his hair drop back to where it was before.

After a few moments of staring intently at the seal, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, "Thank goodness…" I stepped back a few paces. Gaara looked silly with the seal on his forehead, covering some of his kanji tattoo that I had grown so used to seeing, but I kept a serious face.

I reached down and picked up a small pebble off the ground. I tossed it at Gaara. The pebble gently hit his cheek then fell back onto the sand. Gaara looked surprised, expecting his sand to reach up and catch it without a hitch.

"Yes!" I jumped up and punched the air, "I did it!" I wiggled a bit, ecstatic about my accomplishment. The sand around Gaara's feet swirled against itself, desperately trying to reach up and protect its master.

I brought my attention back over to the sandless Jinchuriki, "Quickly,Gaara-san. I don't know how long that seal will last." I took a defensive stance where I stood, "I may not be the best at Taijutsu, but I'm better than you." With a grin, I winked and charged at him, throwing a weak punch. Before anything, he needed to get used to not having his sand shield.

He jumped back and slid, trying to figure out what to do. "Gaara-san, running away won't help with your Taijutsu," I ran at the red-head, ducking at the last moment and sweeping a kick along the ground to knock him down. He jumped, as expected, as I twisted around and used the momentum of my kick to bring my heel into his side. He grunted and held his side, sliding away again from the kick.

Gaara rushed towards me, fist at the ready, as I stood. Moments before his fist impacted with my nose, I yelled, "Stop!" He halted immediately, punch inches from my face.

He blinked a few times, confused, "What is it?"

"Your center of balance is off, Gaara-san. Hold your stance…," I walked to the side and gently pushed his shoulder, he stumbled a bit. I laughed softly, "Take the stance again." He did as I said, eyes forward, lips in a serious permanent line. I walked in a full circle around him, studying how he stood.

Gently, I pressed my hand against his chest, pushing him up straighter, "Straining your back too much can cause injury; make sure to keep up straight." I went through each part of his stance, changing it with a soft nudge and explaining how it could be executed better. A few times I pushed him over, or swept his feet out from under him to show the Jinchuriki exactly what I meant. He simply grumbled and took the stance again.

I could tell he felt incredibly insecure without his sand. It was probably like an embrace for him, holding him with a protective glare at the outside world. Perhaps a real hug would do him good. Maybe later.

Soon we were back to sparring. I managed to get a few good hits in, as did he. My arms and shins were bruised from blocking his powerful attacks. I noticed throughout the spar that the desert sand would inch closer and closer to blocking my attacks, until it was all but in slow motion.

Gaara threw one last punch at me, I caught it in a swift motion with a small smile, "I think we're done for today, Gaara-san. Your sand is starting to figure its way around the seal. It was only temporary, after all…" I reached up and gently tugged the paper seal off of the Jinchuriki's forehead. Instantly, the sand twisted around Gaara in a protective manner. It angrily wrapped itself around my ankles, but did nothing more.

"Oh, Suna-san, I didn't hurt Gaara-san that much. I went easy on him," I laughed softly as it sunk away from my feet and went back to being stasis at the red-head's feet. Gaara was beaten just as badly as I was, a bruise here, a scrape there. We both had dirt everywhere.

Wasn't I thinking about giving him a hug earlier? Well… Curiosity killed the Toshiko-cat. I didn't realize what I was doing until it had already happened. My arms were wrapped under his in a tight embrace as I nuzzled into his shoulder. What in the world was I doing?

Gaara stood in complete shock with his eyes wide. I took his silence and stillness as a sign to stop, so I did, "S-Sorry, Gaara-san… Training is over today." I spun on my heels and left, not daring to look back; he was probably gone anyways. I felt my cheeks burn. Why did I do that? I wouldn't be surprised if he hates me now. Curiosity definitely killed the Toshiko-cat. I was so embarrassed that I wouldn't mind digging my own grave.

Before I knew it I was standing back in front of my house. Something was… wrong. The door was ajar; I had locked it for sure. My embarrassment vanished without a second though. My home was broken into, there was no time to think about a hug that most likely meant nothing.

I was inside immediately. My eyes widened at the sight; furniture was thrown and broken, books lay open and torn on the floor. Pictures were smashed to pieces. Immediately, I bolted into the kitchen. It was spotless, but something was still out of place. What they were looking for was in here.

The jewelry box with my gift to Mother was gone, along with the note. It was replaced with another.

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><p>Well, there ya have it. Chapter 12! Review, please? c: I'd love to have a bunch to read after my long disappearance. 33<p> 


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